Motormen get booklets on how to brave the rains

This monsoon, Western Railway motormen will have a ready reckoner in hand while driving trains.

The WR has given motormen and its officials booklets on what should be done in case of heavy rain and waterlogged tracks.

The booklet includes information on high tide days, flood-prone areas and speed restrictions to be imposed on trains on heavy rain days.

The booklet specifies speed restrictions for both the new-age violet-white trains and the old red ones during heavy rains. For instance, if tracks are submerged under 75mm of water, the new-age train can run a speed of 40 kmph, while the red train can run at 25 kmph.

If the water level on the tracks was between 75mm and 100mm, new-age trains would run at 25kmph, while old trains may not run faster than 10kmph.

Trains should stop plying in case the rainfall is 150mm and above.

“This will be a handy booklet for the officials and motormen,” said Sharat Chandrayan, chief PRO, Western Railway.

Some of the flood-prone spots identified include Grant Road, Charni Road, Elphinstone Road, Santacruz and Goregaon. Officials will place 25 water pumps at these locations to remove excess rainwater from the tracks.

The booklet also includes contact numbers of railway officials and those of the disaster management cell. It also specifies the duties of officers and supervisors and locations of the staff.

The contact numbers for communicating with the state government machinery, civic officials and weather bureau are also available in the booklet.